I really could not get over that we were going to watch Clueless of all movies. For one, I really had no idea that the movie was directed by a female. I thought it was just a male director trying make a comedy about silly airhead valley girls. But watching it as I am older and reading about the movie showed me things that I never would have thought of when I first watched it. I just took the film for face value when it came out. It was amazing though how Amy Heckerling put issues like socal classing which you rarely see in films today and also how the characters learn from themselves and grow. I would have to say I never really noticed the character growth when I saw it because I just could not get past the valley girl thing which I cannot stand. This opinion probably sounds like just about every male out there that saw the movie for the first time.
But you have to give credit when credit is due. A movie that was a mainstream film with the hollywood appeal still was able to focus on important issues that real life teenagers would encompass. There was virginity and the pressure to have sex when all your friends around you have talked about it and do it. Social class and that just because your money is not that of everyone else does not mean you cannot be friends or different from someone with money or vis versa.
When I signed up for the class I was not sure what to expect. But I have taken with me great movies that women directors have done, seen films I would have never thought to see, and also to be on the look out for more up and coming female directors and the female gaze and male gaze in films from now on. These factors are things that I can put in my own arsenal of film watching. I have enjoyed the this class very much, but wish I could have taken the one on the independent films.
1 comment:
Your post gave me some additional thoughts on Clueless. The very interesting thing about it is that Cher is altruistic throughout the film. Although for sometimes selfish motives, she and Dionne are so charitable towards others. They are also constantly trying to improve themselves. I thought this was really interesting for a teenage film, which usually rely on fart jokes to develop characters rather than a personality with depth. You can tell the many years of preparation that went into this film. It looks so effortless, but with all the talking we’ve done, there’s some surprising depth to the script and film.
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